Thill-coupling.



X wir Y Untoten Srarns Patented May 12, 1903.

GEORGE SAYLOR ENGLER, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,604, dated May 12,1903.

Application fded October 17. 1902. Serial No. 1277.732. (No model.)

To rtZ whom t muy concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SAvLoR ENG- LER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented aV new and useful Pole and ThillCoupling, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to couplings for poles and thills.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofcouplings for poles and thills and to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient one of great strength and durability, adapted to be readilyapplied to a vehicle and capable of enabling the wear of the parts to bereadily taken up to prevent rattling without bending, straining, orotherwise injuring the parts of the coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a couplingconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view,partly in section. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the adjustablerod or pivot.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all theiigures of the drawings.

1 designates a clip-plate designed to be secured to an axle by anordinary axle-clip and provided with a frame having forwardly-extendingsides or ears 2and3 and a connecting transversely-disposed rear portion4, which is formed integral with the clip-plate; but theforwardly-extending sides or ears may be connected with an axle in anyother desired manner. The sides or ears 2 and 3 are provided withopenings 4 and 5 for the reception of a rod or pivot, which isadjustable transversely of the coupling, as hereinafter explained, andwhich is provided with means for rmly engaging the sides or ears in anyof its adjustments. The ends 6 and 7 of the rod or pivot are threaded:for the reception of nuts 8 and i) for engaging the outer faces of thesides or ears, and the said rod or pivot is provided adjacent to thethreaded end 7 with polygonal portions 10 and ll, preferably squared, asshown; but they may be of any other desired configuration. The opening4. of the side 2 is round to receive the round portion of the rod orpivot, and the other side 3 is provided with a polygonal opening toconform to the conguration of the outer polygonal portion 11, which islarger than the inner polygonal port-ion 10. The round intermediateportion of the pivot or rod receives an eye l2 of a thill orcoupling-iron 13, which is designed to be connected with a thill orapole in the ordinary manner, and the inner end of the eye is engaged bya detachable collar or head 14., which is arranged on the innerpolygonal portion l0. The detachable collar or head 14 is also engagedby the inner end 0f the outer polygonal portion, which forms ashoulderfor this purpose. The inner side of the collar or head, which is fixedto the rod or pivot, bears against the inner end of the eye 12, and whenthe parts become worn through use the nut 9 is loosened and the othernut is rotated to draw the detachable collar or head 14. tightly againstthe eye, which is firmly held between the same and the side 2 by theframe. The outer polygonal portion prevents the pivot or rod fromrotating, so that there is no liability of the nuts accidentallynnscrewing, and the said outer polygonal portion is adapted to slide inthe opening of the side 3 to permit this adjustment, which is effectedwithout drawing the sides 2 and 3 together and without bending,weakening, or otherwise injuring the same. After the parts have beenadjusted in this manner the nut 9 is again screwed tightly against theside 3.

It will be seen that the device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and thatit is capable of ready adjustment to take up the wear and to preventnoise andrattling. It will also be apparent that the adjustment of thepivot-bolt does not bend or otherwise injure the sides or ears and thatthe nuts iirlnly engage the sides of the frame after the adjustment hasbeen effected.

What is claimed isl. In a device of the class described the combinationwith forwardly-extending perforated ears, one of the ears being providedwith a polygonal opening, a pivot or rod arranged in the openings of theears `and provided with threaded ends and having inner and outer po- Icolygonalportions adjacent to one end,the outer polygonal portion being ofgreater diameter than the inner one and fitting the polygonal opening ofthe adjacent ear, a detachable collar or head arranged on the innerpolygonal portion and arranged to engage the eye of a couplingiron, andnuts arranged on the threaded ends of the pivot or rod and engaging theouter faces of the ears, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described the combination of a clip-platehaving a frame provided With forwardly-extending sides o1' ears havingopenings, one of the openings being polygonal, a pivot or rod passingthrough the openings and having threaded ends and provided adjacent toone end With inner and outer threaded ends of the rod or pivot andengagy ing the sides of the frame, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto afxed mysignature in the presence ot' two Witnesses.

GEORGE SAYLOR ENGLER.

Witnesses:

WM. F. CUSHING, MALCOLM BRIGGs.

